Lump-sugar dispenser.



A. R. LISSMANN.

LUMP SUGAR DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. H, 1917.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES A. R. LISSMANN. LUMP SUGAR DISPENSER. APPLICATION FILED ocr. I1, 1917.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 4 TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT R. LISSMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 MAX LESERMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LUMP-SUGAR DISPENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Application filed October 11, 1917. Serial No. 196,043.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT R. LISSMANN, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan. in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lmnp-Sugar Dispenser, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a sugar dispenser especially designed for delivering lump sugar one lump at a time, and the invention has for its general objects to provide a simple, novel and attractive device of this character which keeps the sugar in a sanitary condition so that the lumps can be dispensed one at a time by the operation of a lever or handle, the design being such that the dispenser is an attractive table article for use in homes, hotels, restaurants and other eating places.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a container having a rotatable carrier therein on which is removably mounted lump sugar holders, the bottom of the container being provided with a. despensing opening over which the holders successively pass and adjacent the opening is a stationary ejector which causes the lowermost lump on each holder as it passes the ejector to be dispensed out of the opening.

With such objects in view, and others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be set forth with particularity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view-of the dispenser;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical View thereof on the line 2-2, Fig. 3;

is a horizontal section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4- is a horizontal section on the line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the ejector about to dislodge the lowermost lump of sugar from a holder;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the lump of sugar completely dislodged and an ejector supporting the column of lumps in the holder;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the removable holders;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing one of the filled holders in position;

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views showing the 'ra tchet mechanism for turning the carl'lel'.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the casing or stationary structure of the dispenser and B the rotable carrier for the holders C of the columns of lump sugar I).

The casing A comprises a. glass cylinder 1 clamped between the top and bottom plates or caps 2 and 3 which have peripheral flanges 4 to embrace the ends of the cylinder 1, and on the bottom plate 3 are depending legs 5 which support the casing above the table. A rod 6 passes centrally through the casing and on the ends are screwed nuts 7 and 7 which engage the outer faces of the top and bottom plates or heads. The bottom plate has a dispensing opening 8 through whichv the lump sugar is discharged, and under this opening and fastened to the bottom plate is a shelf 9 which holds the lump sugar in a position conveniently to be picked up for use. The top cap 2 has a section 2 that forms a door that swings on hinges 10, this door serving to permit the holders C to be lifted vertically out of the casing A for the purpose of filling the holders.

The carrier B comprises a'body 11 which is polygonal in horizontal cross-section and on each face is a pocket 12 open at its top and bottom and also front. In each pocket is a holder C which is constructed as shown in Fig. 7. Each holder comprises a receptacle having a front wall 13, side walls 14, a top 15 and a bottom 17, there being openings 18 and 19 in the side walls at a point adjacent the bottom 17. Lugs 20 extend beyond the side walls at the top of the holder so as to rest on the side walls 21 that form the pockets 12. The body 11 is journaled on the shaft or rod 6 so as to turn thereon, and secured to the top 22 of the body- 11 is a ratchet wheel 23 having notches 24. A lever 25 swings on the hub 26 of a small ratchet wheel 27 fastened to the shaft 6, and on the lever is a gravity pawl 28 which is adapted to engage the notches 24. On the carrier or ratchet wheel 27 'is a pawl 29 which coacts with the small ratchet wheel 27 to prevent back travel of the carrier. The lever extends out of a slot 30 in the flange of the cover 2, and by moving the lever from the full to the dotted line position, Fig. 3, the carrier will turn with the lever and dispense a lump of sugar. Another pawl 31 is used in addition to the pawl 29 to prevent turning of the carrier in either direction when the lever 25 is disconnected from the carrier. This pawl 31 is adapted to engage one of the notches 24 of the ratchet wheel 23, and is carried by a stationary arm 32 clamped on the shaft 6 between the ratchet wheel 27 and nut 33. The lever 25 has an arm or lifter 3 1 which, near the end of the return stroke of the lever, lifts the pawl 31 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 23 and holds it so disengaged while the pawl 28 engages the ratchet wheel 23 and while the lever 25 moves through the first part of its operating stroke, and then the lifter 34 moves from under the pawl 31, so that the latter can drop upon the ratchet wheel 23 and engage the next notch 24.

Mounted in the bottom of the casing at a point to the left of the opening 8 is a stationary ejector in the form of a finger 35, which lies in the path of the openings 18 and. 19 of the sugar holders. Thus, as a holder approaches the ejector 35, the latter engages the lowermost; lump of sugar in the holder and causes the latter to be arrested as the holder continues to move, and as a consequence the lump of sugar (Z, Fig. 5, is

caused to drop out through the opening 8,.

as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. As soon as the holder passes the ejector 35, the column of lump sugar in the holder will drop so that the lowermost lump will rest on the bottom 17 of the holder. The rotary carrier moves only in one direction, and as it brings the holders successively to dispensing position, the holders will empty approximately at the same time, and usually all the holders are filled at once, and to do this the cover 2 is opened and the holder in line with the opening in the topis withdrawn, filled and returned, and then the rotary carrier is turned another step to enable the next holder to be filled.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A dispensing device of the class described including a supporting structure, a rotatable carrier therein, an operating lever, a ratchet wheel on the carrier, a pawl on the lever to engage the ratchet wheel to turn the carrier in one direction, pawl and ratchet means for preventing back travel of the carrier, another pawl arranged to engage the carrier to prevent movement thereof while the first-mentioned pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel, and means on the lever for holding the last-mentioned pawl disengaged while the first-mentioned pawl is rengaging the ratchet wheel.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a rotatable carrier, an oscillatory lever, a ratchet wheel on the carrier, a pawl on the ratchet wheel, a second pawl mounted independently of the lever and arranged to engage the ratchet wheel, a device on the lever for holding the last-mentioned pawl out of en agement with the ratchet wheel while the rst-mentioned pawl is moving into engagement therewith, and an additional means to prevent turning of the carrier except by the operation of the lever.

ALBERT R. LISSMANN. 

